Device and method for contacting a welding rod and contact shell

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device and a method for contacting a welding wire ( 13 ) in a welding torch ( 10 ), including at least two contact shells ( 31 ) having a contact area ( 32 ) for contacting the welding wire ( 13 ), and to a contact shell ( 31 ) for contacting a welding wire ( 13 ). In order to make the contact of the welding wire as constant and permanent as possible during the lifetime of a contacting device, the contact shells ( 31 ) have a holding section ( 48 ) and are arranged inside a sleeve ( 37 ) to define a rotational axis ( 43 ), the sleeve ( 37 ) being fastened to a nozzle pipe ( 38 ) having an integrated pressure mechanism ( 36 ), and the pressure mechanism ( 36 ) being adapted to exert pressure ( 33 ) on the contact shells ( 31 ). The sleeve ( 37 ) includes a holding device ( 42 ) for exerting a counter-force ( 34 ) onto the contact shells ( 31 ). The welding wire ( 13 ) is contacted in the contact area ( 32 ) of the contact shells ( 31 ) with a contact force ( 35 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the National Stage of PCT/AT2009/000463 filed onNov. 27, 2009, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of AustrianApplication No. A 1852/2008 filed on Nov. 27, 2008 and AustrianApplication No. A 1880/2009 filed on Nov. 26, 2009, the disclosure ofeach of which is incorporated by reference. The internationalapplication under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English.

The invention relates to a device for contacting a welding wire in awelding torch, comprising at least two contact shells having a contactarea for contacting the welding wire.

The invention further relates to a contact shell for contacting awelding wire in a welding torch, said contact shell having a contactarea for the welding wire at one end thereof.

Finally, the invention relates to a method for contacting a welding wirein a welding torch, wherein the welding wire is contacted in a contactarea of at least two contact shells.

The present invention relates to the contacting of a welding wire in awelding torch with a constant contact force at a defined contact point.This results in a constant transfer of current to the welding wire, sothat a constant welding quality may be guaranteed. For achieving aconstant contact force, the factors described in the following have tobe taken into account. The substantial factors are the tolerance of thediameter of the welding wire, dirt, and abrasion. This means in detailthat the diameter is not exactly constant along the length of thewelding wire. Likewise, abrasion is produced in the wire core due to theconveyance of the welding wire, said abrasion also being conveyed alongto the contact places. Additionally, dirt collects on the coil ontowhich the welding wire is wound, said dirt also being conveyed to thecontact points. In addition, the coil causes a certain deformation ofthe welding wire, the so-called cast. Likewise, the contact points areground during the conveyance of the welding wire. These factors cause avariation of the diameter of the welding wire. Thus, the contact pointshave to be correspondingly variable to be able to ensure the desiredconstant contact force.

WO 2008/018594 A1 or JP 2002059265 A disclose devices for contacting awelding wire. These devices exert, via a spring, a pressure on a movablecontact member that is consequently pressed against a cone of aprotective sleeve, and the opening arranged in the contact member iscorrespondingly adapted to the welding wire, and the welding wire iscontacted with a wire contact force. Thus, an axial force of the springis converted into a force acting radially on the welding wire, the wirecontact force.

It is of disadvantage that the initially described factors are not takeninto account with such constructions of a contacting device. As alreadymentioned, for an optimum and low-wear contacting during the weldingprocess, the movable contact member permanently has to adapt to thewelding wire with a defined wire contact force. This adaptation has tobe effected due to a minimal movement of the contact members which hasto be enabled by the contacting system. In prior art, the followingdisadvantages, however, result in this respect.

Any movement of the contact members results in differently directedfriction forces at the cone of the protective sleeve, which are, due tothe characteristic of the device, in the order of magnitude of thespring force itself that constitutes the largest force. The reason forthis is that the contact members have to move against the spring forceso as to adapt to the welding wire. Thus, the friction forces change andan actual wire contact force results which deviates strongly from thedefined wire contact force and hence is no longer optimum. This means,however, also that the friction forces and the wire contact forces aredependent on each other.

Likewise, a contact force between the contact member and the cone arisesdue to the construction. Thus, the cone effects both the contact forceand the wire contact force, and hence the wire contact forceadditionally also depends on the contact force. Thus, for the definedwire contact force there results a contact force ranging in the order ofmagnitude of the wire contact force. The contact force should, however,be substantially higher than the wire contact force since, in additionto the electric current, the contact heat should also be transferred tothe protective sleeve there so as to cool the contact member as good aspossible.

A change of the wire conveying direction which takes place in the caseof special processes also has a great influence on the wire contactforces arising, since it is not possible to react to such quick changesof movement.

It is also disadvantageous that the contact member, due to theconstruction thereof, always guides the welding wire centrically. Thus,it is not possible for the welding wire to evade in any direction.Likewise, the welding wire is not just contacted by the contact member,but also guided by same. This causes that possible lateral guide forcesdue to wire cast and torch angle also have an influence on the wirecontact forces, since the contact members are ground more quickly.

In summary, there may be said that, due to the dependency of the forces,the wire contact force required for the constant contacting changes withany influence.

It is also disadvantageous with those prior art designs in which thecontact member is screwed that the contact force on the welding wirecannot be readjusted automatically, since the contact member does nothave the required flexibility.

It is an object of the invention to provide a contact of the weldingwire as constant and permanent as possible during the lifetime of acontacting device of a welding torch, and to avoid or reduce thedrawbacks of prior art.

This object is solved by the above-mentioned contacting device in whichthe contact shells have a holding section and are arranged inside asleeve to define a rotational axis, and in which the sleeve is fastenedto a nozzle stock having an integrated pressure mechanism, said pressuremechanism being designed to exert pressure on the contact shells, andsaid sleeve comprising a holding device for exerting a counter-forceonto the contact shells, and said welding wire being contacted in thecontact area of the contact shells with a contact force. It is ofadvantage that a distinctly improved regulation and transfer of thecontact force to the welding wire is possible. Thus, it is possible toadjust the contact force optimally to the material of the welding wiredue to the movable contact shells. This has the further advantage thatthe conveying force for the welding wire may be kept to a minimum and anoptimal and low-friction current transfer to the welding wire isperformed simultaneously. Thus, the abrasion of the welding wire is alsominimal. Likewise, the abrasion of the contact shells is minimal and/oris compensated by the movability of the contact shells, so that apermanent contacting is given. Thus, the arc stability and, in furtherconsequence, the welding quality are increased. It is also of advantagethat the contact shells can be exchanged quickly and in a simple mannerand can be used for different wire welding diameters, at least in acertain range.

Advantageously, two contact points for contacting with the holdingdevice of the sleeve are defined at each contact shell at the ends ofthe rotational axis, by which the contact shells are held movably and acounter-force on the contact shells is exerted by the sleeve. Thus, apermanently safe transfer of current to the contact shells and a safeheat dissipation are achieved without restricting the movability of thecontact shells.

By providing means for guiding the welding wire upstream and downstreamof the contact area, and the embodiment according to which the contactshells are movable in the contact area by the contact forcesubstantially normally to the welding wire, an optimum adjustment of thecontact force on the welding wire is advantageously achieved, since theguiding and the contacting of the welding wire are separated. Thus, anoptimum welding result is guaranteed.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the holdingsection is designed as a section of entry of the welding wire andcomprises an oval and convex front face, wherein the pressure is exertedon at least a part of the front face. Likewise, the holding section maybe widened vis-à-vis the further contact shell, and the transition tothe widening may be designed conically. These features enable adeflection of the axial pressure to the radial contact force and anadditional adjustment thereof.

If the sleeve comprises a recess corresponding substantially to thecontact shells, there is ensured that the contact shells are protectedfrom any external influences by the sleeve.

Inside the sleeve, an insulation bushing is preferably provided forguiding the welding wire. Furthermore, a guide pipe for the welding wiremay be positioned in the centre of the pressure mechanism and in a partof the contact shells. These measures advantageously achieve that thewelding wire is guided without any problems through the pressuremechanism and current-free to the contact area. It is likewise ofadvantage that the welding wire is permanently contacted exclusively inthe contact area of the contact shells.

It is also of advantage if the pressure mechanism is defined at least ofa pressure bolt, a compression spring, and a fixing plate, wherein thepressure bolt is movable substantially along the axis of the weldingwire. This enables an adjustment and/or regulation of the pressure,wherein it is also possible to adjust and/or regulate the contact forcecorrespondingly by that.

The object is also solved by the above-mentioned contact shell in whichan elevation is defined at a front face of a holding section opposite tothe contact area. In this case it is of advantage that, due to theresting of the pressure means on the elevation, the contact shells arefreely movable and exert the desired contact force on the welding wire.

By the measures of the further subclaims it is of advantage that thecontact shells press against each other by exerting a pressure on thefront face in the exit end area, so that the welding wire is permanentlycontacted with a defined contact force. Likewise, the permanentcontacting in the same place is guaranteed.

The object according to the invention is also solved by a contact shellin which a recess is arranged from the contact area to the holdingsection for receiving a further contact shell that is restricted bylateral and front-side walls and extends up to a level for the guidingof the welding wire, wherein an opening for the welding wire is arrangedin the front-side wall. In the case of such a structure of the contactshell, the resulting gap to the further contact shell is not, as withthe above-described variant, positioned at the front side, and theassembled contact shells are thus protected better from weld spatters orother pollution.

Advantageously, the front-side wall is positioned upstream of thecontact area when viewed in the normal conveying direction of thewelding wire.

The lateral walls of the contact shell are preferably substantiallypositioned to end in front of the holding section.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a semicircularrecess for receiving a guide pipe is arranged in a level for theguidance of the welding wire, wherein in the assembled state of thiscontact shell with the further contact shell, this recess of the contactshell defines substantially a bore with a recess of the further contactshell.

The object according to the invention is also solved by a contact shell,the width of which corresponds substantially to the width of the contactarea, and which is adapted to be received in a recess of a furthercontact shell for defining a multi-part contact pipe.

Preferably, the contact shell is designed to be wider in the area of theholding section and to taper in the direction of the contact area.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a semicircularrecess for receiving a guide pipe is arranged in a level for theguidance of the welding wire, wherein in the assembled state of thecontact shell with a further contact shell, this recess definessubstantially a bore with a recess of the further contact shell.

The object according to the invention is further solved by a contactshell in which an elevation for applying a pressure is defined at afront face of the holding section opposite to the contact area, and atleast two opposite projections are arranged at the front face, whereinthe projections are designed to define a rotational axis and theelevation is arranged between the projections, wherein the elevation andthe rotational axis are arranged substantially in one level.

Advantageously, the rotational axis to be defined is arrangedsubstantially parallel to the elevation.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a face of theprojection is designed to taper in the direction of the outer face ofthe contact shell, in particular in the direction of the contact area.

The object is also solved by the above-mentioned method for contacting awelding wire in a welding torch, wherein an axial pressure is exerted onthe contact shells that are held movably in a sleeve, and wherein thecontact shells are pressed against a holding device of the sleeve forgenerating a counter-force, wherein a rotational axis for the contactshells is defined in the holding device for converting the pressure intoa radial contact force. Advantages may be taken from the above sections.

The present invention will be explained in more detail by means of theenclosed, schematic drawings. There show:

FIG. 1 a schematic illustration of a welding machine or a weldingdevice, respectively;

FIG. 2 a welding torch in a schematic exploded view;

FIG. 3 an embodiment of a device according to the invention in aschematic, cut illustration, wherein an inner face of a contact shell isshown;

FIG. 4 the sleeve of the contacting device of FIG. 3 in a schematic, cutillustration;

FIG. 5 a schematic side view of a contact shell of the contactingdevice;

FIG. 6 a schematic top view of the inner face of a contact shell of thecontacting device;

FIG. 7 a schematic view of a contact area of two combined contactshells;

FIG. 8 a schematic top view of a front face of a holding section of twocombined contact shells;

FIG. 9 a schematic detailed illustration of two contact shells and of apressure bolt with the effective forces;

FIG. 10 the device according to the invention in a schematic, cutillustration, wherein a side view of a contact shell is shown; and

FIGS. 11 to 16 different views of a further embodiment of a contactingdevice with differently constructed contact shells.

To begin with, it is stated that equal elements of the variants andembodiments are provided with equal reference numbers.

FIG. 1 illustrates a welding device 1 or a welding plant, respectively,for the most different processes or methods such as, for instance,MIG/MAG welding and/or WIG/TIG welding, or electrode welding methods,twin wire/tandem welding methods, plasma or soldering methods, etc.

The welding device 1 comprises a current source 2 with a power element3, a control device 4, and a switching member 5 assigned to the powerelement 3 and/or the control device 4. The switching member 5 and/or thecontrol device 4 is/are connected with a control valve 6 that ispositioned in a supply line 7 for a gas 8, in particular an inert gassuch as, for instance, CO₂, helium, or argon, and the like, between agas tank 9 and a welding torch 10 or a blowpipe, respectively.

Additionally, a wire feeding device 11 that is common for MIG/MAGwelding may be controlled by means of the control device 4, wherein afiller material or a welding wire 13, respectively, is supplied via asupply line 12 from a supply drum 14 and/or a wire coil to the area ofthe welding torch 10. As a matter of course it is possible that the wirefeeding device 11, as is known from prior art, is integrated in thewelding device 1, in particular in the basic unit and is not, asillustrated in FIG. 1, designed as an additional device.

It is also possible that the wire feeding device 11 supplies the weldingwire 13 or the filler material, respectively, to the processing placeexternally of the welding torch 10, wherein to this end preferably anon-fusing electrode is arranged in the welding torch 10, as this isusual with WIG/TIG welding.

The current for building up an arc 15, in particular an operating arc,between the non-fusing electrode, not illustrated, and a work piece 16is supplied via a weld line 17 from the power element 3 of the currentsource 2 to the welding torch 10, in particular the electrode, whereinthe work piece 16 to be welded, which consists of several parts, is, viaa further weld line 18, also connected with the welding device 1, inparticular with the current source 2, and wherein an electric circuitfor a process may hence be built up via the arc 15 or the plasma jetformed, respectively.

For cooling the welding torch 10, the welding torch 10 may, through acooling circuit 19, with the interposition of a flow monitor 20, beconnected with a liquid tank, in particular a water tank 21, so that,when the welding torch 10 is placed into operation, the cooling circuit19, in particular a liquid pump used for the liquid positioned in thewater tank 21, is started and hence a cooling of the welding torch 10can be effected.

The welding device 1 further comprises an input and/or output device 22via which the most different welding parameters, operation modes, orwelding programs of the welding device 1 may be set and/or called. In sodoing, the welding parameters, operation modes, or welding programs setvia the input and/or output device 22 are transmitted to the controldevice 4, and the latter subsequently controls the individual componentsof the welding plant or of the welding device 1, respectively, and/orpredetermines corresponding nominal values for the regulation orcontrol.

Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment the welding torch 10 isconnected with the welding device 1 or the welding plant, respectively,via a hose package 23. The individual lines from the welding device 1 tothe welding torch 10 are arranged in the hose package 23. The hosepackage 23 is connected with the welding torch 10 via a coupling device24, whereas the individual lines in the hose package 23 are connectedwith the individual contacts of the welding device 1 via connectionjacks and/or plug connections. In order that an appropriate strainrelief of the hose package 23 is ensured, the hose package 23 isconnected via a strain relief device 25 with a housing 26, in particularwith the basic unit of the welding device 1. As a matter of course it ispossible that the coupling device 24 is also used for the connection atthe welding device 1.

Basically, it has to be mentioned that it is not necessary to use oremploy all the afore-mentioned components for the different weldingmethods and/or welding devices 1, such as, for instance, WIG devices orMIG/MAG devices, or plasma devices. It is, for instance, possible thatthe welding torch 10 is designed as an air-cooled welding torch 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates a strongly simplified structure of a welding torch 10(commercial MIG torch). This exploded illustration shows the essentialcomponents of the welding torch 10, namely the hose package 23, thecoupling device 24, a pipe bend 27, a torch body 28 as acurrent-carrying element at which finally a contact pipe 29 is fastened,and a gas nozzle 30. The hose package 23 is connected with the pipe bend27 via the coupling device 24.

The hose package 23 may also be connected to a torch handle, and thetorch handle may be connected with the pipe bend 27 via the couplingdevice 24. In so doing, for connecting the hose package 23 with thetorch handle, such a coupling device 24 may also be used. The torchhandle may, however, also be designed as an intermediate piece, and afastening of the welding torch 10 via the intermediate piece may beperformed at a robot.

The pipe bend 27 contains inter alia cooling channels, supply lines forthe electric energy, supply lines for the gas 8, and in particular thesupply line or supply device 12, respectively, for the welding wire 13,the so-called core or wire core, respectively, wherein the latter issupplied to the pipe bend 27 via the hose package 23. The welding wire13 is conveyed by the wire feeding device from the supply drum 14 viathe supply device 12 and/or via an appropriate inner bore in the supplydevice 12 to the contact pipe 29. In the contact pipe 29, the weldingwire 13 is supplied with electric energy, so that an arc welding processmay be performed. Accordingly, the contact pipe 29 is manufactured of anelectrically conductive and substantially wear-resistant material suchas, for instance, copper, copper alloys (tungsten), etc.

As is known from prior art, the contact pipe 29 may also be defined ofat least two contact shells 31, wherein the function of contacting ismaintained correspondingly. For a stable welding process it is importantduring contacting that the welding wire 13 is contacted in a contactarea 32 as permanently as possible. This contact area 32 is positionedsubstantially at that end of the contact shells 31 at which the weldingwire 13 exits from the contact shells 31.

In accordance with the invention, the contacting required for a stablewelding process is solved such that a pressure 33 acts on the contactshells 31, wherein a defined contact force 35 is generated in thecontact area 32 with a counter-force 34 acting against the pressure 33,i.e. that the axial pressure 33 acts on the contact shells 31, whereuponthe counter-force 34 effects a deflection of the pressure 33 into theradially effecting contact force 35 for compressing the contact shells31, and a stable and safe contacting in the contact area 32 of thecontact shells 31 is hence achieved (see FIG. 9). By that, the weldingwire 13 is permanently contacted in the contact area 32.

A pressure mechanism 36 and a sleeve 37 are provided for generatingthese forces on the contact shells 31. The pressure mechanism 36 isintegrated in the centre of a nozzle pipe 38 that is detachably fastenedto the torch body 28. The pressure mechanism 36 is defined of a pressurebolt 39, a compression spring 40, and a fixing plate 41. The compressionspring 40 is tensioned with the fixing plate 41, so that the movablymounted pressure bolt 39 is capable of exerting the pressure 33 on thecontact shells 31. This pressure 33 is, however, only exerted once thesleeve 37 in which the contact shells 31 are positioned to move freelyis detachably fastened to the nozzle pipe 38. By the fastening of thesleeve 37, the pressure bolt 39 is pushed back in the direction of thefixing plate 41 by the contact shells 31, so that the pressure 33 isexerted. In correspondence with the compression spring 40 used, avarying pressure is generated. The pressure 33 presses the contactshells 31 against a holding device 42 in the sleeve 37, from which thecounter-force 24 correspondingly results. The counter-force 34 actssubstantially at the ends of a rotational axis 43 of the contact shells31. The pressure 33 is exerted on each contact shell 31 substaniallyparallel and/or adjacent to the rotational axis 43 via the pressurepoints 53 substantially in the direction of the contact area 32. Due tothe pressing of the rotational axis 43 of the contact shells 31 to theholding device 42, a deflection of the effective axial pressure 33 intothe radial contact force 35 is achieved. Hence the defined contact force35 in the contact area 32 results.

The pressure mechanism 36 preferably comprises a feedthrough in thecentre through which the welding wire 13 is conveyed. It is, however,also possible that one pressure mechanism or several pressure mechanismsare arranged around the feedthrough for the welding wire 13.

The contacting device according to the invention is illustrated indetail in FIGS. 3 to 10. The pressure 33, the counter-force 34, and thecontact force 35 are each indicated with arrows. The pressure mechanism36 integrated in the nozzle pipe 38 is incorporated into the nozzle pipe38 from the side of the torch body 28. The pressure bolt 39 is movablealong the progression of the welding wire 13 by the spring force of thecompression spring 40. The fixing plate 41 always maintains itsposition. The nozzle pipe 38 is shaped appropriately inside, so that thecomponents of the pressure mechanism 36 which are designed incorrespondence with the nozzle pipe 38 are adapted to perform thedescribed function. The fixing plate 41 may, for instance, be screwedinto the nozzle pipe 38 up to an abutment, or may be pressed therein. Bymeans of the fixing plate 41, the spring force of the compression spring40 is also set. The nozzle pipe 38 with the pressure mechanism 36 may beconsidered as a spare part or wear and tear part, respectively.

The construction of the contact shells 31 that are preferablyconstructed identically and are thus easy to manufacture is alsoessential for the contacting device according to the invention. Thecombination of at least two contact shells 31 substantially yields acontact pipe 29 known from prior art. The combination is substantiallyperformed such that the respective inner faces 44 of the contact shells31 enclose the welding wire 13. For a transfer according to theinvention of the contact force 35 to the welding wire 13, the contactshells 31 have to be movable so as to be able to meet the initiallymentioned requirements.

This is achieved by a holding section 48 of the contact shells 31. Itcomprises a purpose-shaped front face 45 that is in communication withthe pressure bolt 39 and enables the conversion of the axial pressure 33into the radial contact force 35. To this end, on the one hand, the basearea of the front face 45 of a contact shell 31 is not a circle, butsubstantially a circular segment. At the ends of the chord of thecircular segment, two contact points 47 result, which ensure therequired movability of the contact shell 31. On the other hand, thefront face 45 is provided with an elevation 46. This elevation 46effects that, on fastening of the sleeve 37, the pressure bolt 39 ispushed backward from an abutment in the nozzle pipe 38 and the contactforce 35 finally acts on the welding wire 13. The contact shells 31 werearranged and/or inserted in the sleeve 37 substantially such that theyare held by the holding section 48 by the holding device 42. The contactshells 31 are fixed with the sleeve 37 and do not comprise any fasteningelements of their own. The holding section 48 of the contact shells 31is opposite to the contact area 32, i.e. at that end of the contactshells 31 at which the welding wire 13 enters (in the case of aconveyance of the welding wire 13 in the direction of the work piece16). The holding section 48 is designed to be widened vis-à-vis theremaining contact shell 31, wherein the transition to the widening isdesigned conically. The front face 45 and the elevation 46 are parts ofthe holding section 48. The elevation 46 virtually divides the frontface 45 into two separate sections that are designed to drop obliquelystarting out from the elevation 46. This causes clearances 49 to beformed between the front face 45 and the pressure bolt 39, which aredecisive for the movability of the contact shells 31.

Preferably, the elevation 46 is arranged in parallel to the chord of thecircular segment of the front face 45, wherein the section toward theinner face 44 is substantially smaller than the further section. Theinclination from the elevation 46 to the inner face 44 is preferablydefined circularly by a radius. Likewise, the inner face 44 comprises arecess 50 in which the welding wire 13 is adapted to move substantiallyfreely. The recess 50 extends substantially up to the contact area 32.Furthermore, the contact area 32 is preferably also designed to betwisted, wherein a face 51 of the contact area 32 is arranged to bestaggered with respect to the inner face 44 at a defined angle. Thus,the contact shells 31 effect an additional lateral guidance of thewelding wire 13.

In the case of a combination of two contact shells 31 and thearrangement in the sleeve 37, a rotational axis 43 is defined aboutwhich the contact shells 31 are adapted to be moved. The rotational axissubstantially constitutes the connection between the contact points 47,wherein this connection also corresponds substantially to the chord ofthe circular segments of the front face 45 in the holding section 48.Since the contact shells 31 are held with the holding section 48 in theholding device 42 of the sleeve 37, the rotational axis 43 is alsoarranged in the holding device 42. In this respect it is noted that therotational axis 43 is actually to be considered as a virtual rotationalaxis 43, since it is to illustrate the mirror-inverted effect of thecontact shells 31. Every single contact shell 31 is, due to the oppositecontact points 47, correspondingly also rotatable. By means of thisrotational axis 43 it is now possible to convert the axial pressure 33into the radial contact force 35. In detail, this is performed such thatthe pressure 33 is exerted on the elevation 46 of the front face 45 ofthe contact shell 31. By the fact that the elevation 46 is arranged inparallel to the rotational axis 43, the contact areas 32 are pressedwith the defined contact force 35 against each other and/or against thewelding wire 13 passing therebetween. One may also say that the pressure33 is exerted at the left and at the right adjacent to the rotationalaxis 43—correspondingly on the elevation 46 of each contact shell 31.The pressure 33 acts substantially correspondingly in the direction ofthe contact area 32. For converting the axial pressure 33 into theradial contact force 35, the rotational axis 34 is preferably positionedbelow the elevation 46, so that it is possible to regulate the contactforce 35 by means of the lever rule, and the movability of the contactshells 31 is given.

The defined contact force 35 (for instance, 2 N per contact shell 31)results from the pressure 33 (for instance, 80 N), the distance betweenthe elevation 46 and the rotational axis 43 (for instance, 1 mm), thelength of the contact shell 31 (for instance, 20 mm), and thecounter-force 34 (for instance, 40 N per contact point 47). Thecounter-force 34 is influenced by the angle of the conical transition tothe holding section 48, which is correspondingly also defined in theholding device 42 of the sleeve 37. The forces are in particular adaptedto the diameter and the material of the welding wire 13.

Basically, all forces are primarily dependent on the pressure 33. Inaddition, however, the contact force 35 is also dependent on the leverrule, i.e. the relation of the distance of the elevation 46 and therotational axis 43 to the distance between the rotational axis 43 andthe end of the contact area 32 of the contact shell 31. These forcesappear once the sleeve 37 with the contact shells 31 arranged therein isfastened to the nozzle pipe 38. The fastening of the sleeve 37 isdefined by a corresponding abutment at the nozzle pipe 38, so that thedefined contact force 35 is finally set. Preferably, the pressure 33 isexerted by the pressure mechanism 36 only in places on the elevations 46of the contact shells 31, so that the conversion of the forces via therotational axis 43 is facilitated. This means that the pressure bolt 39does not abut with its entire surface on the front face 45 of thecontact shells 31, but only in places. Thus, the contact shells 32 areheld movably in the sleeve 37 even if a corresponding pressure 33 actsthereupon.

So if the pressure mechanism 36 exerts the pressure 33 on the contactshells 31, they are compressed or closed, respectively, in the contactarea 32 due to the contact force 35 resulting from the pressure 33. Inthis case, the outer clearance 49 has its maximum height. When thewelding wire 13 is conveyed through the contact shells 31, the contactshells 31 are pressed apart in the contact area 32 substantiallynormally to the welding wire 13, so that the contact force 35 acts onthe welding wire 13 via the contact shells 31. Hence, the outerclearance 49 is reduced. Despite the effect of the pressure 33, thecontact shells 31 that are designed as wear and tear parts are thusarranged movably in the sleeve 37 in accordance with the invention. Thismovability is caused in particular by the combined oval and convex frontface 45 of the contact shells 31. The oval shape is defined by thecircular segments and the convex shape by the elevation 46. The convexface comprises a deepening along the rotational axis 43, which causesthe rotational axis 43 to be below the elevations 46, so that thedeflection of the axial pressure 33 into the radial contact force 35 isfacilitated.

The oval face may be seen from the top view of the holding section 48and/or of the front face 45 of the combined contact shells 31 in FIG. 8.This also illustrates the recesses 50 for the welding wire 13 whichdefine a circle. Thus, it is possible to guide the welding wire 13substantially in the centre of the contact shells 31. Correspondingly,the welding wire 13 is also guided in the centre of the pressuremechanism 36, i.e. through the fixing plate 41, the compression spring40, and the pressure bolt 39. Accordingly, the preferably cylindricalpressure bolt 39 comprises a front face corresponding to a circular ring52 (shaded area). This circular ring 52 extends around the circledefined by the recesses 50. The circular ring 52 defines substantiallyfour pressure points 53 on the elevations 46 of the contact shells 31 onwhich the pressure 33 is exerted in places. Via the pressure points 53,at least part of the welding current is transmitted to the contactshells 31, and also the heat generated during a welding process in thecontact shells 31 is dissipated there. The remaining portion of thewelding current is transmitted via the sleeve 47 and the contact points47 to the contact shells 31. Via this path, the remaining portion of theheat is also dissipated.

Another basic requirement for a stable and constant contacting is thecentrical guidance of the welding wire 13. This is implemented by aguide pipe 54 that extends through the entire pressure mechanism 36 andacross the recess 50. Thus, the welding wire 13 is guided up to thecontact area 32 and contacted in the contact area 32 independently ofthe contact shells 31.

The twisted contact area 32 of the contact shells 31 also provides aguidance of the welding wire 13. The welding wire 13 is hence not justcontacted and guided by the pressure of the contact shells 31, but alsoguided laterally by the inclined faces 51 of each contact shell 31.Thus, on the one hand, a better contacting is achieved and, on the otherhand, a lateral guidance. This lateral guidance is, however, to beconsidered as an additional feature since the contact shells 31 mainlyare to ensure the permanent contacting of the welding wire 13. This hasa positive effect in particular on the material transfer and hence onthe entire welding process since the welding wire 13 is always contactedin the same place. The substantial guidance of the welding wire 13 isperformed by the guide pipe 54 and the sleeve 37 in which an insulationbushing 55 is arranged for guidance. The welding wire 13 exits after thecontacting in the contact area 32 through the insulation bushing 55 fromthe sleeve 47. The contact shells 31 are completely arranged in thesleeve 37 and are thus also protected efficiently from influences of thewelding process such as heat and weld spatters. For this purpose, theinsulation bushing 55 is designed to be correspondingly heat-resistantand wear-proof, for instance, of silicon nitrate. The guide pipe 54 isappropriately adapted to the diameter of the welding wire 13 and/or to arange of diameters of welding wires 13. The guide pipe 54 may also beexchanged easily since it is merely inserted from the rear into thepressure mechanism 36 and the contact shells 31. Preferably, the guidepipe 54 is also designed for a low-friction transfer of the welding wire13 from the supply line 12 and/or the wire core, respectively. Thefunction of the guide pipe 54 may also be assumed by the pressure bolt39 in that its design is combined with the guide pipe 54.

In general, it is noted that the pressure 33 may be set with the fixingplate 41, so that, for instance, an adaptation to the material and thediameter of the welding wire 13 is possible. As a matter of course,several different welding wires 13 may also be used with a combinationof the compression spring 40 and the fixing plate 41.

For a easier handling it is preferably provided that the fixing plate 41is screwed up to an abutment and the required pressure 33 for thedefined contact force 35 is set automatically.

The known grinding of the contact areas 32 is also compensated by theconstruction in accordance with the invention. In the case of variationsof the welding wire 13, for instance, due to cast, the contact shells 31follow the progression of the welding wire 13. Thus, additional forcesin the contact area 32 are avoided or at least reduced, and the contactforce 35 remains substantially constant. The contact force 35 acting onthe welding wire 13 is readjusted substantially automatically, since inaccordance with the contacting device according to the invention thecontact shells 31 always act against each other. The decisive factor forthis is the already described movability of the contact shells 31.

FIGS. 11 to 16 illustrate a further embodiment of a contacting deviceaccording to the invention in which the contact shells 31 have differentstructures. Like with the already described construction of thecontacting device with identically constructed contact shells 31pursuant to FIGS. 3 to 10, these have to be movable. In the following,only the differences with respect to the already described contactingdevice with identical contact shells 31 will be dealt with.

The movability of the two contact shells 31 is enabled by the holdingsection 48 defined by two opposite projections 56 per contact shell 31which project laterally and above the front face 45. Basically, theprojections 56 are arranged in the area of the inner face 44 of thecontact shells 31. Laterally, the projections 56 are each connected withthe outer face of the contact shell 31 via the conical face 57 taperingin the direction of the outer face of the contact shell 31. One may alsosay that the conical face 57 is designed to taper. These conical faces57 enable the movable holding of the contact shells 31 in the holdingdevice 42 of the sleeve 37 and prevent simultaneously the falling out ofthe contact shells 31, since the lateral projections 56 protrude. Sincethe front face 45 of the contact shell 31 substantially has the shape ofa circular segment, sufficient clearance to the holding device 42 isavailable along the outer face of the contact shells 31, so that nofriction between the outer face of the contact shells 31 and the holdingdevice 42 occurs here. Furthermore, during the use of the contact shells31 in the welding torch, i.e. in the sleeve 37, each projection 57comprises a contact point 47 that is substantially arranged on theconical face 57. In order that the contact point 47 is not deformedand/or modified by the forces acting thereupon, the projections 56 arealso positioned above the front face 45 and serve substantially formaterial reinforcement. By the connection of the contact points 47, therotational axis 43 is defined around which the contact shells 31 move.The elevation 46 on which the pressure bolt 39 exerts the pressure 33 isarranged between the projections 56, as was already described in detailby means of FIGS. 3 to 10. The result of this is that the elevation 46and the rotational axis 43 run indeed in parallel, but are positionedapproximately in one level. Thus, the friction between the elevation 46and the pressure bolt 39 which is produced due to the movement of thecontact shells 31 during the conveyance of the welding wire 13 issubstantially reduced, since the pressure points 53 substantially do notchange during the movement of the contact shells 31 about the rotationalaxis 43 that is positioned approximately on the same level. This meansthat the position of the pressure bolt 39 substantially does not change,so that it need not be moved from the elevation 46 against the pressure33 during the movement of the contact shells 31 against the direction ofthe contact force 35. Thus, the position of the elevation 46 issubstantially not changed, either, during the movement of the contactshells 31. The movement of the contact shells 31 is, on the one hand,necessary during the threading in of the welding wire 13 in that thepre-tensioned contact shells 31 are moved against the contact force 35and the contact force 35 acts correspondingly on the welding wire 13. Onthe other hand, deformations (cast) of the conveyed welding wire 13 arecompensated by the movements of the contact shells 31.

By modifying the distance between the rotational axis 43 and theelevation 46 which extend in parallel, it is further possible to set thecontact force 35 by means of the lever rule by using other contactshells 31. From the pressure 33 there results the contact force 35 inthe contact area 32 that is positioned differently due to the contactshells 31 of different construction. This results from the fact that thecontact shells 31 have different lengths, wherein the shorter contactshell 31 is protected by the longer contact shell 31. This means thatthe gap between the contact shells 31 which is necessary for themovability is protected from welding spatters, and that hence themovability and the function of the contact shells 31 are not impaired.It is therefore also sufficient if the sleeve 37 substantially receivesthe holding section 48 and does not encase or enclose, respectively, theentire contact shells 31 as described pursuant to FIGS. 1 to 10.

In a constructional view this protection is, for instance, solved suchthat substantially the longer contact shell 31 receives the shortercontact shell 31. The longer contact shell 31 thus comprises a recess 58receiving the shorter contact shell 31. This recess 58 is substantiallyformed such that walls 59 are arranged at the sides and at the frontface—i.e. at the exit end of the welding wire 13—which restrict therecess 58 correspondingly. Thus, the gap between the contact shells 31is protected in the recess 58 from weld spatters, dirt, and the like.The depth of the recess 58 reaches down to the level in which thewelding wire 13 is guided. In the front-side wall 59 of the longercontact shell 31, an opening 60 for the welding wire 13 is arranged. Thecontact area 32 in the longer contact shell 31 is positioned upstream ofthis opening 60, so that the contact area 32 is protected by thefront-side wall with the opening 60. The contact area 32 of the shortercontact shell 31 is accordingly positioned at the very front.

Thus, the contact shells 31 are designed equally in the holding section48, but have different shapes in the area down-stream of the holdingsection 48 up to inclusively the contact area 32. Thus, the width ofthis area is, with the shorter contact shell 31 that engages into therecess 58 of the longer contact shell 31, substantially equal to thewidth of the contact area 32. Hence, after the conical face 57, anadditional transition from the holding section 48 to this area isarranged, so that the shorter contact shell 31 is designed substantiallywith three different widths. Contrary to this, with the longer contactshell 31 the width of the recess 58 is substantially equal to the widthof the contact area 32. The longer contact shell is, however, alsodesigned with two different widths. Accordingly, the lateral walls 59 ofthe recess 58 also end in front of the holding section 48.

The opening 60 of the front-side wall 59 may also be designed as agroove, so that the opening 60 is independent of the diameter of thewelding wire 13.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A device for contacting a welding wire in awelding torch, the device comprising: a) a nozzle pipe (38); b) apressure mechanism (36) integrated in said nozzle pipe (38); c) a sleeve(37) fastened to said nozzle pipe (38); said sleeve (37) comprising aholding device (42); and d) at least two contact shells (31) arrangedinside said sleeve (37) and movable about a rotational axis (43)oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of saidcontact shells (31), each of said at least two contact shells (31)comprising: i) a contact area (32) disposed at a front end of saidcontact shell (31) at which front end the welding wire exits saidcontact shell, said contact area (32) contacting the welding wire with aradially-effecting contact force (35); and ii) a holding section (48)disposed opposite said contact area (32) at a rear end of said contactshell (31) at which rear end the welding wire enters said contact shell(31), the holding section comprising: a front face (45) having a basearea formed as a substantially circular segment and two contact points(47) disposed at opposite ends of a chord of said substantially circularsegment, said rotational axis (43) corresponding to said chordconnecting said two contact points (47); and an elevation (46)positioned parallel to and above said rotational axis (43), saidelevation (46) dividing said front face (45) into separate sectionsdropping obliquely starting from said elevation (46), thereby forming anouter clearance (49) between said front face (45) and said pressuremechanism (36); wherein when said pressure mechanism exerts an axialpressure (33) on said elevation (46) of said contact shells (31), saidcontact points (47) of said contact shells (31) are pressed against saidholding device (42) of said sleeve (37), producing a counter-force (34)acting substantially on the ends of the rotational axis (43), the axialpressure (33) is converted into the radially-effecting contact force(35) via the counter-force (34) and the outer clearance (49) has amaximum height; and wherein when the welding wire is conveyed throughsaid contact shells (31), said contact shells (31) are pressed apart insaid contact area (32) substantially normal to the welding wire and saidouter clearance (49) is reduced.
 2. The device according to claim 1,wherein guides are provided for guiding the welding wire upstream anddownstream of the contact area.
 3. The device according to claim 1,wherein the contact shells are movable in the contact area by thecontact force substantially normally to the welding wire.
 4. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the holding section is designed as thearea of entry of the welding wire and comprises an oval and convex frontface, and wherein the pressure is exerted on at least a part of thefront face.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the holdingsection is designed to be widened vis-à-vis the further contact shell,and wherein the transition to the widening is designed conically.
 6. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a recesssubstantially corresponding to the contact shells.
 7. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein an insulation bushing for guiding thewelding wire is provided in the sleeve.
 8. The device according to claim1, wherein a guide pipe for the welding wire is arranged in the centerof the pressure mechanism and in a part of the contact shells.
 9. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein the pressure mechanism is definedat least by a pressure bolt, a compression spring, and a fixing plate,and wherein the pressure bolt is movable substantially along the axis ofthe welding wire.
 10. The device according to claim 1, wherein it isdesigned for receiving contact shells.
 11. A method for contacting awelding wire in a welding torch, the method comprising steps of: a)providing a nozzle pipe (38), a pressure mechanism (36) integrated inthe nozzle pipe (38), and a sleeve (37) fastened to the nozzle pipe(38), wherein the sleeve (37) comprises a holding device; b) arrangingat least two contact shells (31) inside the sleeve (37) and movablyabout a rotational axis (43) oriented substantially perpendicular to alongitudinal axis of the contact shells (31), wherein each of the atleast two contact shells (31) comprises: a contact area (32) disposed ata front end of the contact shell (31) at which front end the weldingwire exits said contact shell, the contact area (32) contacting thewelding wire with a radially-effecting contact force (35); and a holdingsection (48) disposed opposite the contact area (32) at a rear end ofthe contact shell (31) at which rear end the welding wire enters thecontact shell (31), the holding section comprising: a front face (45)having a base area formed as a substantially circular segment and twocontact points (47) disposed at opposite ends of a chord of thesubstantially circular segment, the rotational axis (43) correspondingto the chord connecting the two contact points (47); and an elevation(46) positioned parallel to and above the rotational axis (43), theelevation (46) dividing the front face (45) into separate sectionsdropping obliquely starting from the elevation (46), thereby forming anouter clearance (49) between the front face (45) and the pressuremechanism (36); c) exerting a pressure (33) in an axial direction on arespective elevation (46) of the at least two contact shells (31),thereby pressing the two contact points (47) of the contact shells (31)against the holding device (42) of the sleeve (37) to generate acounter-force (34) and converting the pressure (33), via thecounter-force (34), into the radially-effecting contact force (35)contacting the welding wire in the contact area (32), such that theouter clearance (49) has a maximum height; and (d) conveying the weldingwire through the contact shells (31), such that the contact shells (31)are pressed apart in the contact area (32) substantially normal to thewelding wire and the outer clearance (49) is reduced.
 12. The methodaccording to claim 11, wherein the axial pressure is exerted on eachcontact shell in places and in parallel to the rotational axis.
 13. Themethod according to claim 11, further comprising steps of: providing adevice for contacting a welding wire in a welding torch, the devicecomprising the at least two contact shells, fastening the sleeve to anozzle pipe having an integrated pressure mechanism, wherein thepressure mechanism is designed to exert the pressure on the contactshells and forming the elevation for exerting the pressure in axialdirection at the front face of the holding section of each contactshell, wherein the contact shells are held movably in the sleeve via thetwo contact points.